IMO, your girlfriend has chances of getting a TRV. However, you'll need to put in a bit of extra efforts to prepare her new application well. Don't be in a hurry to reapply.
- A visit of two months is too long by visitor standards. She must state a visit of 2-3 weeks max.
We will indicate 3 weeks visit.
Do prepare a detailed day-by-day plan for each day of her visit.... with expense estimates.... like a typical tourist for sightseeing/ activities/ meeting friends, etc.
She must prove she has the finances to pay for this daily itinerary + her airfare without depending on you.
- Return tickets don't assure nor help for a TRV approval. It's not advisable to buy tickets before visas are issued.
Ticket is there to indicate that she will be leaving Canada on Aug 31, 2018, as her school semester starts on Sept 1, 2018.
Hopefully these are refundable/allow for the flight bookings to be changed.
You may want to stress on the fare conditions of these tickets.
- Did you state anything to this effect in the invitation letter?
We did not, we will add it in the next application.
A big NO.
She has been refused for family ties because the visa officer believes you will marry her and start the inland spousal PR process. Stressing on your relationship will prove to be detrimental.
Do NOT mention anything about wanting to take the relationship to the next level or about her visiting for a trial live together, etc. Do be very careful about the words you use in the invitation letter and the evidence you submit of you guys together.
- Did you declare your relationship and/or include evidence of being together?
We've attached pictures of us being together from my visits in Moscow, some of the conversations.
Hopefully, none of these conversations or pictures were romantic or indicated about your relationship.
I think I should add my boarding passes from all my previous trips to Moscow.
Yes, you can include your boarding passes. You can mention that you've visited her. This would indirectly indicate you have the option to visit her in Moscow in case she is refused (hopefully not).
In order for me to know if we should marry, I would like to live with her for a little period. This is why her visit is so important. If she is granted the visa and we live together, we can make a decision to marry, and while she's back in Moscow finishing her last year to acquire her Bachelor's degree, I'll start a process for sponsorship.
Again, for her spousal sponsorship, you would need to have a marriage certificate (after marrying her + evidence of a nice wedding attended by family and friends). You cannot start the process without that as common law won't be applicable in this case.
- Your finances are secondary for her TRV application. Did she prove she has liquid finances of about CAD 1,000 per week of visit + airfare of her own and/or with the financial help of her parents?
We've shown that she has around $4000 CAD. Also I've indicated that she'd be staying at my place, all the food costs, medical, and living expenses would be covered by me. The visa officer did not indicate that financial situation is one of the reasons for refusal.
Her application must be re-evaluated as a complete package.
The visa officer would like to see that she can afford the visit with her own finances = Incentives to overstay her visit and/or to work illegally are low
IMO, her finances are low to pay for the visit. I recommend she include a Letter of Financial Support from her parents + their bank statement + their tax returns + copies of their passport and immigration status in Russia.
1. How long is the study program and when will she graduate?
- That study program is 4 years, and she is entering her final year.
That's good. Does the final year require her to work on a thesis? Or maybe some other study reason to return apart from the obvious fact of completing the degree program?
2. What documents did she submit, specifically to prove her study ties + campus accommodation/lease + her financials?
- She submitted a certificate of enrollment in the program from her university. That certificate indicates start date from her first year, and finishing date for her last year.
She must also include tuition fee receipt for the next academic year (final year) + student ID proof + a letter from the university that states she is a bona fide student + the recent mark sheet/ transcripts.
There are no campus accommodations, as she lives with her parents, and they are renting a place there. For financial documents, she does not have a work permit in Moscow, but she has savings of around $4000 CAD, and she attached a bank certificate proving existence of funds.
Not bank certificate but a bank statement for the last 4-6 months. No large deposits/nothing borrowed. If money is transferred between accounts then she must include an explanation.
And, yes, do include the financial support documents from her parents.
3. Has she traveled to other visa-required countries (US, UK, EU, Australia, NZ)?
- She did not travel there, but we are also applying for Schengen Visa, as we want to visit Spain after her trip to Canada.
IMO, this will help tremendously. I recommend she must reapply for a Canada TRV only
after she is approved for a Spain Schengen visa.
After she is granted the Schengen visa, she must color scan it and include it in the cover letter + include evidence of hotel reservations and flight bookings (refundable, date change possible.... Moscow >> Spain>> Moscow for herself.... and Canada>>Spain>>Canada for yourself).
4. Does she volunteer for social causes or for charity?
- She does not currently, but she can start volunteering. And if she does, does a letter from that organization indicating a recent start date be of any effect (positive or negative, as it wasn't in the previous visa application)?
The letter dated in the present date can refer to her volunteering since XX (past date, if that's the case) + if there's an event(s) scheduled after her Canada visit then it must state them and why she is needed for those volunteer events.
5. Is she a member of any sports club?
- Yes she is, but that wasn't shown in the previous visa application. We can attach that in her current visa application. I think she will also have a competition somewhere mid September.
Similar to the volunteer event documents + evidence of the scheduled competition (press notes and/or web site prints, etc) and similar evidence if she has participated for 1-2 other sports events in the past.
6. Or does she have any compelling reason to return to Russia by a specific date after her visit?
- Her compelling reason is that as of Sept 1, she will be in her final year of school, acquiring her bachelor's degree. This is something she's been working really hard for, and if you have a tip on how to accentuate that to the visa officer, that would be absolutely amazing.
@Bryanna, I do very much appreciate your help.
She can stress on the fact that she must attend classes for the final year + the career prospects/potential employment available to her after she graduates + and/or if she would like to enroll for a Masters program. She can include facts like she is working hard, tops her class (as applicable). So, she wouldn't overstay because it will affect her entire future and her career for any country in the world, not just for Canada.
Other suggestions:
1. Do include a cover letter set in separate sub-sections (Applicant and Host details + TRV refusal reasons and how she has overcome the refusals + Purpose of My Visit (reference the detailed day-by-day itinerary document) + Funds available for my visit + My strong ties to Moscow (study + family) + My Visa/Travel History + Why I must return to Moscow by XX date (study program + sports event + volunteer event + Spain visit)
All information must be in point format in this cover letter, no long sentences that the visa officer might miss reading, formal tone. Reference all evidence wherever required + prepare a separate document for the list of evidence.
2. All documents must be in English or French or else submit certified translations
3. Do include any credit cards if she has these cards + 2-3 months statements
4. Do include copies of her immigration status in Russia + any healthcare, insurance and other resident permits
5. Evidence that she lives with her parents/family at the same address
6. Include overseas travel medical insurance (again, that allows a refund or date change) + mention this in the cover letter
7. Paper submission, not an online application
